Charting Their Course
by lazypadawan
Summary: On their way back to Naboo, Padmé must present to Anakin her plan for their future.


Charting Their Course

She knew it was just as hard for Anakin as it was for her to walk side-by-side, the very images of their serious personas. She was still the Senator even though she was in a tan flightsuit and red vest, her long hair held in place with silver beads. He was covered with his Jedi cloak. They did not look like a young couple deeply-and secretly-in love. But it was what they had to be as they strode across the landing pad to Padmé's waiting yacht, their respective droids in tow. In Coruscant's gleaming daylight, there were too many prying eyes.

Officially, she was returning to Naboo to recuperate from her harrowing battle on Geonosis and he was continuing his assignment as her protector and escort, since those who meant to kill her were still on the loose.

Unofficially, she had made a promise to Obi-Wan she would use the opportunity to extinguish what he feared was happening, that Anakin was developing an attachment to her. _That nuna's egg has already hatched, Obi-Wan_. As they made their way up the ship's ramp, Padmé bit her lip a moment as she contemplated how Anakin was going to react to what she was about to tell him.

Once aboard the ship, they set about preparing for departure: securing her luggage, running through the checklists, double-checking supplies. Even though they were now alone with the droids, it was still all-business.

They settled into the cockpit for takeoff, Artoo and Threepio already bickering and bantering. Anakin took the controls. He loved piloting and Padmé figured he wanted to get as much practice as possible with his new mechanical hand. It gleamed in the sunlight streaming through the viewport. He was still a little self-conscious about the skeletal hand but he seemed somewhat fascinated with it as it coordinated effortlessly with his natural movements.

The ship cleared Coruscant's atmosphere and the yacht gracefully moved around the heavy traffic of other vessels entering or leaving the planet. Once they cleared Coruscant's orbit and reached open space, Anakin entered hyperspace coordinates for Naboo and pulled the lever. Padmé was sucked into her seat as the stars streaked into lines.

Once the ship was safely in hyperspace, they removed their safety belts. Then Anakin turned and asked Artoo to run diagnostics with Threepio. As soon as the droids were out of the cockpit, Anakin and Padmé fell into each other's arms. They kissed passionately, Padmé running her fingers through Anakin's short hair and his hands entwined on the small of her back. They hadn't been able to fully express their love since leaving Geonosis and all Padmé wanted to do was get lost in the moment with him.

When they slowly and reluctantly broke off their kiss, Padmé opened her eyes and gazed at Anakin's preternaturally handsome face, his gleaming blue eyes, the smile-the first one she'd seen in a while-on his full lips. She couldn't end it now with Anakin even if she'd fully intended to so. Ianna help her, every word she said to Obi-Wan was a lie. She couldn't end it with Anakin even if she'd fully intended to do so. She couldn't leave him even if her very life depended on it. There was no life without Anakin.

But would her darling agree to what she was about to say?

"Ani, we need to talk," she said, cupping her hands on his shoulders. Worry faded his smile away.

"What is it?" he asked as he searched her eyes, as though he was trying to divine whether or not she would honor her pledge of love only weeks before.

"While you were in recovery, I had a lot of time to think." Worry turned to dread in Anakin's expression and his grip around her waist tightened.

"And?"

"And I realized I had to decide once and for all where to chart our course." She swallowed. "Simply sleeping with you wouldn't be enough. I love you too much. Keeping you as a lover wouldn't honor what we have. Leaving you, cutting you out of my life forever, would kill me. I can no more live without you than I could live without water, food, or air." Anakin's grip relaxed somewhat, but his lips opened as he appeared confused. Blinking back tears, Padmé continued.

"I came to only one conclusion. It may damn us all, but I don't care. We'll have just enough time when we get home." She took a deep breath. "Marry me, Ani. Be my husband and I will be your wife. Please?" By now the tears were falling and she bit her lip to keep from sobbing. Her heart pounded with nervousness.

Anakin's eyes widened with astonishment, then he beamed with joy. "Yes, of course, I will," he said, embracing her. Impulsively, he picked her up off of her feet and whirled her around in the small cockpit. "I was hoping to ask _you_, but I guess you beat me to it." He set her back down on the floor.

"Now, Ani, we must do this in secret. If the Jedi are not to know, then the Queen cannot know either. Maybe someday we can tell my family, but I have to protect them now. It will be just the two of us at Varykino, and the droids can be our witnesses. We can find a discreet holy man. I don't know how we're going to arrange it all, but…"

Anakin gently placed a finger on her lips.

"It'll be all right. We'll figure it out and make it work," he said gently. He leaned in and kissed her again. Wrapped up in Anakin's slow moving lips, the anxieties melted away. None of it mattered. Anakin would be hers forever.

Th'End

_The idea for this fic came from a discussion of Karen Miller's first Clone Wars book. Someone made the suggestion that based on Padmé's conversation with Obi-Wan, she wouldn't be surprised if Padmé was the one who proposed to Anakin. My head canon still says Anakin's the one who proposed but I thought it would be an interesting idea to contemplate_.


End file.
